Durham mosque is vandalized

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Muslims say attacks are more than vandalism

As Iqbal Ahmad surveys the damage to the Fayetteville Street mosque - smashed windows and doors, stolen computer monitors, Sunday school supplies knocked over - he concludes this was no ordinary burglary.

"A burglar doesn't break all the windows and doors," said Ahmad, who is in charge of maintenance at the Jamaat Ibad Ar-Rahman mosque. Ahmad discovered the damage when he came to pray early Monday morning.

More worrisome to Ahmad and other leaders at the mosque, sometimes called a "masjid," is what they see as a pattern. This summer someone smashed some of the same windows and doors. And six months ago, during a prayer service, two men opened the doors and began hurling rocks while shouting obscenities. The incidents were reported to the police, but no arrests were made.

Muslims torn between shock, compassion

On Saturday, the Islamic Association of Raleigh threw open its doors for a "Meet Your Muslim Neighbor" event that drew 600 people, including two congressmen, one cabinet secretary and several mayors.

On Monday, the association faced its biggest nightmare: Seven men, all of whom at one point worshiped at the association's mosque, were arrested and charged with plotting to carry out terrorist attacks abroad.

For years, the Raleigh Muslim community had worked to improve relations with the wider Triangle population and ease tensions caused by the terrorist bombings of Sept. 11, 2001. Now it faces its biggest public relations challenge and a potential setback to all its efforts. A family respected in the community was arrested and charged with fomenting violence and holy war.

Pig heads left at Malaysian mosques amid tensions

Worshippers found severed heads of pigs at two Malaysian mosques Wednesday following a spate of firebomb attacks on churches amid a dispute over the use of the word "Allah" by Christians, officials said.

It was the most serious incident to hit Islamic places of worship following vandalism and other assaults at 11 churches, a Sikh temple, a mosque and two Muslim prayer halls across the Muslim-majority country in the past three weeks. Pigs are considered unclean by Muslims.

The attacks followed outrage among Muslims over a Dec. 31 court verdict that allowed non-Muslims to use "Allah" as a translation for "God" in the Malay language. Many Malaysian Muslims believe the word should be exclusive to their religion, and that its use by others could confuse some Muslims and even lure them to convert.

Room to pray at multiple mosques

Vendors once sold Tupperware, furniture, crafts and jewelry in this spot. But in a sign of the times, the old Apex Flea Market is now a mosque.

Friday afternoon prayers draw more than 100 Muslims, including many from Holly Springs. They come with children in tow and shed their shoes out front. In the cavernous, newly carpeted prayer room, they line up in neat rows for a series of prostrations to God.

The Triangle Muslim community is having a growth spurt. Ten years ago the area had two main mosques, in Durham and Raleigh. Now numerous Wake County suburbs are forming their own places of worship.

Wrong time to clam up

In the last decade, local Muslim leaders have reached out to the Triangle, seeking to forge a strong relationship with people of all faiths.

Part of that effort included being accessible to reporters, especially at The News & Observer, one of the few news outlets in North Carolina with a full-time faith reporter.

Now, following the indictment of eight Triangle men on terrorism charges, the area's most prominent mosque, the Islamic Association of Raleigh, is limiting access.